UNITED SPECIAL Calm Victor can give Reds the Rio factor
VICTOR Lindelof has been signed to provide the composure United’s defence has lacked since Rio Ferdinand’s departure.
And the Swede’s £30.7m arrival threatens to bring an end to Chris Smalling’s time at Old Trafford.
“I’m quite a calm player,” Lindelof said upon completion of his transfer from Benfica on Wednesday. “I like to have the ball at my feet, I’m good with the ball and I’m quite good at reading the game.
“I think I give the players in front a calmness, they know I’m back there to protect them the best I can.”
Those comments are particularly poignant, coming after revelations Jose Mourinho mocked Smalling’s ability on the ball ahead of the Europa League final against Ajax last month.
“I even joked with Smalling ‘With your feet, we’re for sure not playing out from the back!’” he said during a lecture in Portugal.
Only so much can be read into what was a tongue-in-cheek comment.
Mourinho did, after all, put his faith in the England international to start the final in Stockholm - a game that was so pivotal to United’s season.
But nor can it be dismissed after Mourinho made Lindelof the first signing of a critical transfer window.
Having made Eric Bailly his first acquisition upon taking over at Old Trafford last summer, he has now provided the Ivory Coast international with a longterm partner.
The hope at United is that they can dovetail in the manner of Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
Notably Mourinho now has two centre-backs who are comfortable with the ball at their feet - much like his finest pairing at Chelsea in John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho. The closest United came to a truly ball-playing centre-back before Mourinho’s arrival was Daley Blind. But the versatile Dutchman’s lack of physical presence and pace meant Mourinho was never likely to build his defence around him. Lindelof’s skills have been honed after beginning his career as a central midfielder. He is also comfortable at rightback, though Mourinho’s intention will be to nurture a partnership with Bailly as soon as possible. At £30.7m he becomes the most expensive centre-back in United’s history. Smalling’s future has looked uncertain after an injury-hampered season and public criticism from Mourinho. His surprise inclusion against Ajax provided a glimmer of hope. But that could have been another classic case of Mourinho’s pragmatism picking a team to do a job. In Lindelof he sees a player up to the task of taking his United team to the next level.